
Black plate (22,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 11/9/12
9-22 Driving and Operating
Engine Exhaust
{WARNING
Engine exhaust contains carbon
monoxide (CO) which cannot be
seen or smelled. Exposure to CO
can cause unconsciousness and
even death.
Exhaust may enter the vehicle if:
.The vehicle idles in areas
with poor ventilation (parking
garages, tunnels, deep snow
that may block underbody
airflow or tail pipes).
.The exhaust smells or
sounds strange or different.
.The exhaust system leaks
due to corrosion or damage.
.The vehicle exhaust system
has been modified, damaged,
or improperly repaired.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.There are holes or openings
in the vehicle body from
damage or aftermarket
modifications that are not
completely sealed.
If unusual fumes are detected or
if it is suspected that exhaust is
coming into the vehicle:
.Drive it only with the windows
completely down.
.Have the vehicle repaired
immediately.
Never park the vehicle with the
engine running in an enclosed
area such as a garage or a
building that has no fresh air
ventilation.
Running the Vehicle
While Parked
It is better not to park with the
engine running.
If the vehicle is left with the engine
running, follow the proper steps to
be sure the vehicle will not move.
See Shifting Into Park on page 9‑20
and Engine Exhaust on page 9‑22.
If parking on a hill and pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑65.

Black plate (23,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 11/9/12
Driving and Operating 9-23
Automatic
Transmission
There are several different positions
for the shift lever.
P (Park):This position locks the
front wheels. It is the best position
to use when you start the engine
because the vehicle cannot move
easily.
{WARNING
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
See Shifting Into Park on
page 9‑20 andDriving
Characteristics and Towing Tips
on page 9‑65. Make sure the shift lever is fully in
P (Park) before starting the engine.
The vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control
system. You must fully apply the
regular brakes first and then press
the shift lever button before you can
shift from P (Park) when the ignition
is in ON/RUN. If you cannot shift out
of P (Park), ease pressure on the
shift lever and push the shift lever
all the way into P (Park) as you
maintain brake application. Then
press the shift lever button and
move the shift lever into another
gear. See
Shifting out of Park on
page 9‑21.
Notice: Shifting to R (Reverse)
while the vehicle is moving
forward could damage the
transmission. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse) only
after the vehicle is stopped.
R (Reverse): Use this gear to
back up.

Black plate (24,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 11/9/12
9-24 Driving and Operating
At low vehicle speeds, R (Reverse)
can be used to rock the vehicle
back and forth to get out of snow,
ice, or sand without damaging your
transmission. SeeIf the Vehicle Is
Stuck on page 9‑9 for additional
information.
N (Neutral): In this position, the
engine does not connect with the
wheels. To restart when the vehicle
is already moving, use N (Neutral)
only. You can also use N (Neutral)
when the vehicle is being towed.
{WARNING
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could move very rapidly.
You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift
into a drive gear while the engine
is running at high speed. Notice:
Shifting out of P (Park) or
N (Neutral) with the engine
running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the
engine is not running at high
speed when shifting the vehicle.
D (Drive): This position is for
normal driving. It provides the best
fuel economy. If you need more
power for passing, and you are:
.Going less than 35 mph
(55 km/h), push the accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
.Going about 35 mph (55 km/h)
or more, push the accelerator all
the way down.
The transmission will shift down
to a lower gear and have more
power. Downshifting the transmission in
slippery road conditions could result
in skidding, see
“Skidding”under
Loss of Control on page 9‑5
Notice: Spinning the tires or
holding the vehicle in one place
on a hill using only the
accelerator pedal may damage
the transmission. If you are stuck,
do not spin the tires. When
stopping on a hill, use the brakes
to hold the vehicle in place.
Manual Mode
Driver Shift Control (DSC)
Notice: Driving with the engine at
a high rpm without upshifting
while using Driver Shift Control
(DSC), could damage the vehicle.
Always upshift when necessary
while using DSC.

Black plate (27,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 11/9/12
Driving and Operating 9-27
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive
Vehicles with this feature always
send engine power to all four
wheels. It is fully automatic, and
adjusts itself as needed for road
conditions.
When using a compact spare tire
on an AWD vehicle, the system
automatically detects the compact
spare and disables AWD. To restore
AWD operation and prevent
excessive wear on the system,
replace the compact spare with a
full-size tire as soon as possible.
SeeCompact Spare Tire on
page 10‑81.
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
This vehicle has the Antilock Brake
System (ABS), an advanced
electronic braking system that helps
prevent a braking skid.
When the vehicle begins to
drive away, ABS checks itself.
A momentary motor or clicking noise
might be heard while this test is
going on, and it might even be
noticed that the brake pedal moves
a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. See Antilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
on page 5‑21. If driving safely on a wet road and it
becomes necessary to slam on the
brakes and continue braking to
avoid a sudden obstacle, a
computer senses that the wheels
are slowing down. If one of the
wheels is about to stop rolling, the
computer will separately work the
brakes at each wheel.
ABS can change the brake pressure
to each wheel, as required, faster
than any driver could. This can help
you steer around the obstacle while
braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the
computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls
braking pressure accordingly.

Black plate (28,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 11/9/12
9-28 Driving and Operating
Remember: ABS does not change
the time needed to get a foot up to
the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too
close to the vehicle in front of you,
there will not be enough time to
apply the brakes if that vehicle
suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to
stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold
the brake pedal down firmly and let
ABS work. You might hear the ABS
pump or motor operating and feel
the brake pedal pulsate, but this is
normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows you to steer and brake
at the same time. In many
emergencies, steering can help
more than even the very best
braking.
Parking Brake
The vehicle has an Electric
Parking Brake (EPB). The switch
for the EPB is in the center
console. The EPB can always be
activated, even if the ignition is off.To avoid draining the battery, do not
cycle the EPB too often without the
engine running. The EPB can be left
applied while the vehicle is parked.
The system has a parking brake
status light and a parking brake
warning light. See
Brake System
Warning Light on page 5‑20. There
are also three Driver Information
Center (DIC) messages. See Driver
Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑27. In case of insufficient
electrical power, the EPB cannot be
applied or released.
Before leaving the vehicle, check
the parking brake status light to
ensure the parking brake is applied.

Black plate (29,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 11/9/12
Driving and Operating 9-29
EPB Apply
The EPB can be applied any time
the vehicle is stopped. The EPB is
applied by momentarily lifting up on
the EPB switch. Once fully applied,
the parking brake status light will be
on. While the brake is being applied,
the status light will flash until full
apply is reached. If the light does
not come on, or remains flashing,
you need to have the vehicle
serviced. Do not drive the vehicle if
the parking brake status light is
flashing. See your dealer. See
Brake System Warning Light on
page 5‑20.
If the EPB is applied while the
vehicle is in motion, a chime will
sound, and the DIC message
RELEASE PARKING BRAKE
will be displayed. The vehicle
will decelerate as long as the
switch is held in the up position.
Releasing the EPB switch during
the deceleration will release the
parking brake. If the switch is heldin the up position until the vehicle
comes to a stop, the EPB will
remain applied.
If the parking brake status light
flashes continuously, the EPB is
only partially applied or released,
or there is a problem with the EPB.
The DIC message SERVICE
PARKING BRAKE will be displayed.
If this light flashes continuously,
release the EPB, and attempt to
apply it again. If this light continues
to flash, do not drive the vehicle.
See your dealer.
If the parking brake warning light is
on, the EPB has detected an error
in another system and is operating
with reduced functionality. To apply
the EPB when this light is on, lift up
on the EPB switch and hold it in the
up position. Full application of the
parking brake by the EPB system
may take a longer period of time
than normal when this light is on.
Continue to hold the switch until the
parking brake status light remains
on. If the parking brake warning light
is on, see your dealer.Adaptive Cruise Control (if
equipped) may automatically apply
the EPB in some situations when
the vehicle is not moving. This is
normal, and is done to periodically
check the correct operation of the
EPB system. See
Adaptive Cruise
Control on page 9‑37.
If the EPB fails to apply, the rear
wheels should be blocked to
prevent vehicle movement.
EPB Release
To release the EPB, place the
ignition in the ACC/ACCESSORY or
ON/RUN position, apply and hold
the brake pedal, and push down
momentarily on the EPB switch.
If you attempt to release the EPB
without the brake pedal applied, a
chime will sound, and the DIC
message STEP ON BRAKE TO
RELEASE PARK BRAKE will be
displayed. The EPB is released
when the parking brake status light
is off.

Black plate (30,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 11/9/12
9-30 Driving and Operating
If the parking brake warning light is
on, the EPB has detected an error
in another system and is operating
with reduced functionality. To
release the EPB when this light is
on, push down on the EPB switch
and hold it in the down position.
EPB release may take a longer
period of time than normal when this
light is on. Continue to hold the
switch until the parking brake status
light is off. If the light is on, see your
dealer.
Notice:Driving with the parking
brake on can overheat the brake
system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system
parts. Make sure that the parking
brake is fully released and the
brake warning light is off before
driving.Automatic EPB Release
The EPB will automatically release if
the vehicle is running, placed into
gear, and an attempt is made to
drive away. Avoid rapid acceleration
when the EPB is applied, to
preserve parking brake lining life.
If you are towing a trailer and
parking on a hill, see Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips on
page 9‑65.
Brake Assist
This vehicle has a brake assist
feature designed to assist the driver
in stopping or decreasing vehicle
speed in emergency driving
conditions. This feature uses the
stability system hydraulic brake
control module to supplement the power brake system under
conditions where the driver has
quickly and forcefully applied the
brake pedal in an attempt to quickly
stop or slow down the vehicle. The
stability system hydraulic brake
control module increases brake
pressure at each corner of the
vehicle until the ABS activates.
Minor brake pedal pulsation or
pedal movement during this time
is normal and the driver should
continue to apply the brake pedal
as the driving situation dictates.
The brake assist feature will
automatically disengage when the
brake pedal is released or brake
pedal pressure is quickly
decreased.

Black plate (35,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 11/9/12
Driving and Operating 9-35
The vehicle is normally in the Tour
Mode. To switch from Tour Mode to
Sport Mode, move the shift lever
to the left while the transmission
is in D (Drive). Sport Mode is
automatically engaged when the
shift lever is moved to the left.
Moving the shift lever forward or
rearward will put the transmission in
the Manual (M) Mode.
The Driver Information Center (DIC)
will display SPORT MODE ON
when the Sport Mode has been
activated. When the shift lever is
moved to the right in D (Drive), the
system will revert back to Tour
Mode. SeeManual Mode on
page 9‑24 under Automatic
Transmission.
If there is a problem detected with
Selective Ride Control, SERVICE
SUSPENSION SYSTEM displays
on the DIC. See Ride Control
System Messages on page 5‑37.
Driving should be adjusted
accordingly.Cruise Control
{WARNING
Cruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at
a steady speed. So, do not use
the cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous
on slippery roads. On such roads,
fast changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip, and
you could lose control. Do not use
cruise control on slippery roads.
With cruise control, a speed of
about 40 km/h (25 mph) or more can
be maintained without keeping your
foot on the accelerator. Cruise
control does not work at speeds
below about 40 km/h (25 mph). If the brakes are applied, the cruise
control disengages.
If the StabiliTrak
®system begins
to limit wheel spin while using
cruise control, the cruise control
automatically disengages. See
StabiliTrak
®System on page 9‑33 or
Traction Control System (TCS) on
page 9‑31. If a collision alert occurs
when cruise control is activated,
cruise control is disengaged. See
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System on page 9‑50. When road
conditions allow the cruise control to
be safely used, you can apply the
cruise control again.